Ain't No Fool

Chapter Nine

Tex walked into Johnny's apartment with Dally right behind him. It was almost eleven and the house was dead silent. Tex didn't like the silence. The silence was scary. It was like the silence he and Dakota came home to that night that they found their mother dead. Silence was loud in so many ways to Tex.

"I'm gonna go make some coffee," Dally whispered as he wondered off into the kitchen.

Tex walked into the living room to see an empty area. Tex's heart began to pace... where was Dakota? What had they done with her? Running back into the kitchen where Dally stood blankly Tex cried, "Where is she?"

Dally turned to face his son, "Look Tex there's some more stuff we gotta talk 'bout."

"Where the hell is she?" Tex yelled, "Where'd those bastards take her?"

Dally sat down on the counter, "No one's taken D away, kid. Johnny took her over to Darry's place so she could play with some kids or somethin'."

Tex nodded calmly suddenly feeling a bit foolish for getting all worked up. But who could blame him? Dakota was like his own daughter in so many ways. If something had ever happened to her Tex wouldn't be able to go on living.

"Sorry," Tex sat down at the table.

Dally stood up from the counter and wandered over to him, "There's some stuff I gotta tell ya, Tex. Some stuff ya ain't gonna like, least I don't think you'll like it."

Tex sighed. It seemed like all he had been getting lately was bad news, his mother being murdered, his father's life story; his life crumbling apart... and now there's more, "Just be straight with me. Don't pull no shit and drag the whole story out... just tell me. Plain and simple."

Dally sat down next to him. He wished there was a plain and simple way to tell him what he had to tell him. But there wasn't. Dally was beginning to see that Tex wanted things straightforward and simple, not liking surprises or setbacks. Tex wanted everything to just be said. And Dally was realizing that he was the exact same way. As a teenager he just wanted the truth, nothing more, nothing less. He'd deal with the pain later (or really never, just hiding the pain did it) and that was what Tex did. He kept a straight face for the sake of his baby sister. Tex wasn't a fool. He knew what life was and how cold it could be. But he didn't know that people could help him out and be there for him. Tex didn't know that he didn't have to hide the pain. He could let it out.

But there was no way Dally could ever really explain that to him. Not yet at least. Sure, Dally was growing closer to him and beginning to get him to open up and trust him but he didn't want to ruin it by telling him the truth, even though that was what he wanted.

Dally decided to just tell him what he needed to tell him, like Tex wanted, "Randy wants custody of you two."

"What?" Tex stood up from his chair in anger, "That bastard, who killed our mother, wants custody of us? No way in hell am I ever gonna go with him! D ain't either!"

"I know, Tex," Dally replied trying to calm him down. He knew inside Tex was probably falling apart. He probable felt the need to cry. But there was no way that Tex would ever cry. After his mother died that was it. No more crying.

"How can they let us go with some man that killed our god damn mother? Huh?" Tex shook his head in anger.

Dally sighed, "They have no evidence that he killed your Mama. The police think it was suicide."

"Are ya gonna let that sick bastard take me and D?" Tex asked.

Dally shook his head, "No, Tex, I ain't. I can't make no promises but I can try to not let that man take ya away."

Tex nodded. He was worried now. Inside he felt as though his whole life was falling apart. And to think that just two days ago his worst problem was trying to get Dakota to start smoking. And now... it was too much. Tex needed someone. But he needed to be strong for Dakota. She was so vulnerable now. Tex didn't think that she'd ever go back to her tough stage. This shit had permanently changed her.

"Tex," Dally could see that his son was thinking really hard, "If ya need to talk or anythin' just let me know."

Tex nodded. He really wanted to take that offer. But he couldn't, not yet at least. He needed a few minutes to think about what he was going to do and how he was going to go on with life.